Ripple Effects on a Nanoscale
by The Drifter
Summary: Viluy's nano-bots have left their mark. Ami learns to deal with the consequences. Shoujo-ai/yuri. Mako/Ami content.


_A.N. - This story can fit into the same continuity as my other fics but it is however, mostly just a stand alone that explores how for Ami, ignorance isn't bliss. Also, Viluy's Mosaic Buster deserves its turn as goddamn the nightmare fuel that it is._

 _Universe draws mostly from the first anime, maybe with some manga elements mixed in and PGSM. Its hard to tell._

 _Thank you for_ reading!

 **Ripples on a Nanoscale**

 _wherein Ami reflects on her experiences as a Sailor Senshi, and what's come of it._

* * *

For a genius like Mizuno Ami, everything was scary.

She wasn't a coward by any means - at least she hoped she wasn't. Just... when she could unconsciously work out all the angles that led to hell in a hand basket 5 seconds after she walked into any situation…everything was pretty damn scary. That was her gift and her curse.

The first time she saw Viluy's Mosaic Buster was no exception. She knew things were bad, but she couldn't let that stop her. She had to keep Haruka and Michiru from killing Hotaru, and then she keep Viluy from killing Haruka and Michiru. Things were complicated, but Ami found her bottom line and stuck to it.

She shot a Shina Aqua Illusion to counter the Moasic Buster without hesitation. Ami wasn't sure if it would work, but there was only one way to find out.

Ami wasn't too surprised when the nano-bots immediately broke free of the ice and hit her instead. It was the logical conclusion based on everything she knew. Yui- no - Viluy took pride in her science and these nanobots were her masterpiece.

Of course they would be unstoppable. Ami couldn't help but marvel at their efficiency. The pain was exactly as she imagined it would be.

Not for the first time, Ami cursed her intelligence for giving her the ability to fully understand the horror of the situation. There were millions of nano-bots eating into her molecule by molecule - consuming her on a subatomic level until there was nothing left.

It was surreal. Ami had so many questions.

She wondered if it would hurt all the way to the end. She wondered if the nano-bots would overwhelm the pain receptors in her brain before they destroyed the nerves that enabled her to feel pain in the first place. She wondered what her body would look like as the machines progressed. Would she dissolve into a pile of dust? Or a puddle of goo maybe? Would there be anything left to bury? Maybe the machines would leave behind random bits of dense bone material. Ami remembered feeling sorry that her friends would have to deal with that.

The one question that had sounded over and above the rest was: When would it end?

Then she heard footsteps and the familiar voice of Sailor Moon and her friends. She smiled. Now there was a variable that she'd hoped for, but didn't dare to consider.

In the days that followed, Ami could never remember exact details of what happened. She'd analyzed the scene over and over again through her visor's playback mode, but she never remembered much beyond the white hot pain. The entire encounter with Viluy was reduced to just flashes of fear, and that desperate hope in the end when the pain started to fade.

Death or salvation. Ami didn't know what she had hoped for. In the moment though, she hadn't cared much either way, just as long as it was over soon.

* * *

As it turns out, it was salvation. Ami survived and Viluy did not. Ami had feelings about all that, but she didn't know what they were. There was no time to process.

Hotaru was gone and the Silence was coming. Ami pushed everything else back into the corner of her mind. Her feelings were irrelevant until the world was safe again.

In the aftermath of the near apocalypse, while everyone was trying to recover from the events around Mugen, Ami finally had time to follow up with had happened. She took samples, she experimented, she scanned and she analyzed. She worked around the clock to reverse-engineer the nanobots.

Those were days of uncertainty – were the nano-bots replicating? Could they infect anyone else? Would they power up again? Ami was afraid. Whenever Ami was afraid, she went into research mode. Research leads to understanding, and understanding led to relief, even if the truth was unsettling.

And the truth was definitely unsettling.

The nano-bots were still in her body, just dormant and inactive. She tested Haruka and Michiru as well but found no trace of the nano-bots in them. Ami theorized that their Senshi powers had been able to burn out the foreign objects when they transformed. Ami had taken a full blast while already transformed and so, the nano-bots became fully integrated with her body. There was no way to remove them. At least they weren't contagious, or replicating. It was creepy, but still better than 80% of the scenarios Ami had already considered.

She could live with that.

* * *

The first time the nano-bots reactivated was so innocent that Ami didn't make the connection. She was petting Luna when suddenly she felt a flash of pain rip through her body. She gasped and stumbled. Luna was concerned, but it was over in a moment. That incident was easily dismissed as a twisted nerve, or a cramp and forgotten.

The second time the nanobots reactivated was much more memorable. Ami remembered being uncomfortable all day. A vague, ill-defined ache that gradually grew worse until she couldn't bear it any more and collapsed on her bedroom floor.

She remembered the summer storm outside her window. She remembered the rain, the flashing lighting, and wondering if this was the day she was going to die.

She remembered Makoto coming to check on her for missing a study session. She remembered Makoto picking her up and carrying her to her bed.

She remembered kissing Makoto.

It had been desperate act but the kisses after that were warm and comforting. Makoto held her close until the storm died down.

All in all, she isn't sure if that was the best day of her life, or the worst. It was certainly the most memorable.

The third time was in battle.

Jupiter had an open shot on whatever it was they were fighting that day. Some kind of weird microwave oven daimon? The last thing Ami remembered of that battle was a familiar sound:

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

When she came to, the pieces all clicked into place. Electricity! Of course!

On some level, Ami knew her joy at coming up with a working theory was completely ridiculous. It wasn't a good thing, but with knowledge, she could fight back.

Some painful days of experimentation later, her theory was proven correct. Apparently, the nano-bots flare ups were caused by ambient electrical charges in the environment. It was frightening, but somewhat scientific and understandable.

Not being able to fight anymore and letting her friends down? Less understandable.

Ami knew which issue she was better at dealing with.

* * *

Ami stopped counting individual occurrences after that. She accepted this new aspect of her life. She would occasionally get eaten alive from the inside, and her body would just repair the damage and move on. Cause and effect understood; a strangely real-world example of the Ship of Theseus thought experiment. Putting uncomfortable philosophy aside, Ami moved onto practical research. Further experimentation taught her to dull the nano-bot reactions in her body. There was still pain, but it was no longer incapacitating.

Makoto learned to focus her powers better and even learned how to draw excess electricity into herself. Mercury could stand without fear at Jupiter's side again. That was a huge relief, and Ami loved her for it.

Mako was always there for her. On stormy days, Ami would show up at Mako's place, a slight tremor in her voice betraying her fear and pain. Mako would let her in. She would then hold her and power down the nano-bots. Mako had learned to defy the laws of physics just to protect her. It seemed completely illogical, romantic even, and Ami loved her all the more. Eventually, Ami found the courage to express that love fully. They made love together that dark and stormy night. Ami smiled at the memory. From being eaten alive, to a miracle romance. Even Ami the genius didn't see that coming. She liked pleasant surprises.

The communicator beeps interrupted her reminiscing. Dark power sensed near the hospital. Ami scribbled out a quick note to her mother to excuse her absence, and then ran out to battle once again. Whatever came next, she knew she could fight it her own way. With courage and understanding.

* * *

 _-End-_

* * *

 _A.N. In case it wasn't clear, the first instance of the nano-bot flare up was due to Ami petting Luna and picking up a static charge._


End file.
